Inkwater
wip |-|General= Inkwater ---- Old bones make for sturdy foundations. ---- Overview Inkwater is a quaint, serene place; a town ringed in echoing hills and bordering an ocean of pitch-black water. An air of strangeness permeates the coastal settlement, and mysterious forces always seem at play, meddlesome in their influence over mortal affairs. But this quiet, albeit off-putting place conceals a troubled past. Its roots rest upon the sleepless dead: the RainWing and SeaWing civilizations that first lived here, the countless sailors drowned at sea, and the mad animus laid to rest beneath the lighthouse. Geography The geographic region upon which Inkwater is built is known for its natural quirks. The border where the sea meets the land is a wall of eroded rock banks, sparsely broken up by beaches and towering cliff faces. As one travels deeper inland, the region flattens into kilometres of sprawling plains before erupting into hills and the occasional mountain. Long ago, the hungry sea would flood the lowlands every winter, drowning the plains plants and salting the earth, before retreating come spring. However, tides have not risen since the water turned black, and the ferns and flowers of the flat lands have claimed their final victory. The weather of Inkwater is unnaturally consistent. The biting winds roll in from inland and crash against the ocean come every morning, as certain as the rising of the sun. The rainfall comes in once every two weeks, on Sunday, from noon to midnight, unless there’s snowfall. The snow comes in the first of January, and is gone without a trace in three months. The black water never freezes however, and the black water is always there. The sea looks dead; waveless, unnaturally still. Do fish still dare to swim there? Is there any life beneath the oil-like surface? As with most things in Inkwater, few care and fewer know. Economy Culture Landmarks The Clock Tower By all accounts the heart of the town, the great clock tower is a fairly recent addition to the town. While Inkwater is centuries old, this grand structure was built but a few summers ago, to be the centrepiece of a growing plaza. Public opinion is divided over the tower. While intended to represent the prosperity and economic success of Inkwater, many see the ominous construct of brass and gold as a symbol of uncontrollable urbanization, the forceful intrusion of something sterile and artificial into one of this world's last wild places. Anomalo Lighthouse Anomalo was an Oramontial SeaWing, a subspecies exclusive to the region. It is said that Anomalo was the very first member of the native societies to greet settlers, and served as a guide to the hapless explorers. When he was informed that more settlers would be coming, the SeaWing built a fire-crowned tower of stone, that helped to lead new arrivals away from the jagged cliff faces. Upon the structure's face was engraved the word "Uideati", translating roughly to "friends" in Common Draconic. What followed this declaration of peace was as tragic as it was ironic. Though Anomalo's creation has long since collapsed, a blue-striped lighthouse was built in its place, funded exclusively by donations. The word "friend" was etched clumsily into its steel skin shortly after it was unveiled to the public. Very few ships have sought refuge at the ports of Inkwater, not since the water turned black, which makes the reasoning behind the lighthouse’s construction a mystery. Perhaps the tower is a token of apology, a half-hearted mumble for forgiveness from the town built on the ruins of Oramontia. Or, perhaps, the denizens of the coastal town simply wanted something nice to look it. Addington Wind Farms The Addingtons are a wealthy and old family, who reside near the very edges of town. They build and maintain the hundreds of wind turbines that supply practically all of Inkwater’s electricity, and are deeply respected and/or feared as a result. Strangely enough, the turbines have never stopped turning in the history of their operation, leading some to suspect that mystical forces are at work. The bloodline is rumoured to have connections with the Seabird, a powerful weather spirit that appears often in historical folklore. This suspicion is not without merit. As a matter of fact, the form of the Seabird itself is present on the Addington family crest (which is proudly emblazoned on every wind turbine). Some older dragons may also recall an incident where the mayor insulted an Addington’s outfit, and found out later that day that her residence had been struck twenty-eight times by lightning and burnt to the ground. An impossibly large avian can often be seen flying above the wind farms. Is this the Seabird? Some would argue that, with everything else in mind, it most definitely is. Others would point out that the Seabird has never been documented in any publication more reputable than legends and tall tales. Whatever the case, the Addingtons keep the lights on in Inkwater, their sleek, silver turbines standing around the town like ever-vigilant sentries. |-|History= |-|Demography= |-|Wildlife= |-|Important Figures=